Automatic pipe-coupling for cars.



. PATENTED JAmzs, 190m W.=..A. ROBERTSON. ALHIDMATIO PIPE COUPLING FOR CARS.

'A'PPJQIOATIOH FILED APR. 10. 1

No. 877,866. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908. W. A. ROBERTSON.

AUTOMATIC PIPE COUPLING FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 877,866. .PATENTED mm, 1908. w. A. ROBERTSON.

AUTOMATIC PIPE COUPLING FOR CARS.

v APPLICATION FILED PR.10.1907.' A 3 SHEETg-SHBB'R 3,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WTLLIA M Ar ROBICR'l'SON, 0.1 NlHYlilCliN, NORTH UA llOlilNA, .ASSIGNOR OI" ONE-FOURTH To l:Il)\\'A,l.tl). W. lUli, OF SMllllFIELD/NORTH CAROLINA.

' AUTOMATIC PIPE-GOUPLING FOR CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Jan. 28, 1908- Applicntion lil -d April 10.1907- S 'l'ifll ilu- 3671349.

To all (P/mm it may comm-11:

lic it. known lhnt .l, \Ynlum: A. ROBERT- sox, nv cilizcn ol' thc lnitcd Htutcs, rcshlingr at .\'o\\'l )crn. in lhc county ol lrnvon and Sl'nlo oi Norl h ('nrolinzi, llnvc inx'cntcd :1, ('(l'-- min n w and uscl'ul lnnnovcmcnl in Autonnn'ic lipc(onplings for (:n's, of which tho following is nspccilicn-lion.

lhis invcnlion rclulics to that type olcou ling's dosigncd l'or nnlolnnlicnlly conncctinfg' tho scvci'n-l pipc l-wtwcon cars, of n rniluny train.

I 'lo this cnd lhc invcnlion (HlllilllPlzilAS n siinhlcgslimnr :nnl lhorougrhlv gn'niclicnl niulo ninlic pipc coupling for cars oncrnlhu: in conjunction'uill! lhc cor coupling; and co|nprising nzcnns l'or (llccling' in n nosiliro nmnncr lhn coupling lflg'll hc." ol thc scvcrnl inns ol' tho linin, IHHIHlY, tho nir in'nlw pipcs, tho

signnl pinch and -tho stcnin pipos, and also providing nicnn l'oi' lhc nnloinrlli uncoupling or disconncclion lhcrcol' nhcn l'hc cu! couplings :n'o unconnlcd znnl l-ho cnls drnwn apart.

A further ol jccl ol tho invonlion is to proridc a coupling of tho clnss dcscrihcd Qqnippod with :l-lllOHHlli(':l,ll opcrnlcd vnlrcs which conll'ol lhc pnssanrc ol' lhc whcn the coupling is nnnlc, thc ralrcs :n'c nntonmticnlly opcnod up to cstuhlish on1- inuniculion lmtnccn tho pipcs ol' lho opposilc cars.

.Anothcr object of tho inrcnlion is to provide a coupling hcnd so constructcd that thc parts thorcof can be readily roymircd or rcphi-cod ithont thc loss of thc cntn'o hcnd, which is n lcnturc of considcrnhlo practical importzn'ic-o. v

Furthcrinoro l'hc invention proridcs norcl means for hanging thc pipc coupiing hoods directly from thc cm ((H.l])llll;' fi so as to insuro a, positive and :iccln'nlc, coupling for tho pipicouplings hilc nl' lhc sznno linn: pcrnlilting 45.

tlm hitl' cr' io connlmx ith high or low cmsndjust thcinsclvcs to various positions to suit the (nirvos of thc lrnick and also admitting of a ready uni-mulling \vhcn the cars are moved apart.

With thcso and many other objects in View, which will. Inoro readily appear as tho nature of the invention is better understood, the

some consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement ,ol parts licreii lluiils through the howls of lhc coupling so lhnt ul'tcr more fully described, illustrated and l claimcd. v i

The essential l'cntnrcs of the invention in I \olvcd in carrying out the objects above in rdicai'cd :nc ncccssarily susccptihlc to struck luml change ithout departil'ig from. the l scopc ol the invcntion, but it preferred em- I hodinicnt thcrcol, is shown in the accompzuu'ing drnning's, in whichl l ignrc l is n. sidc clcvation of an automatic I pinc coupling for cars constructed in accordl nncc nil-h tho prosont invention and showing; i oJn of tho pipc coupling hen-(ls snspendm l lion: :1 cm coupling. l ig. 2 is it top plan l \"im. of tho complctc coupling, showing the l pair of coinpzniion coupling heads interlocked i in thonconplcd rcln-lion. Fig. 3 is a vertical i cross-soclionol \.l(\\ on tho lino 3- -33 of Fig. 2. l l

Fig. l is n- (lotnil in pcrspecl ivc of one ofthe lnpo coupling hcinls. Fi 5 1s a detail seo lionnl \icn on lhc lino 5 .1 of Fig. 2, showing n l'or n ol' Hljlill'itbll joint for dctzichahly uniting thc pipc shoc to the end liar portion of lhc honid to l'ncilitnto rcpairs or replacing f parts. I

Like rcl'crcnccs designate corresponding parts in tho sovcrul liguros of the drawings.

in carrying out the invention the-same inolndcs in its general organization a pair of duplicate companion pipc coupling heads 1 1 dcsignod to be can-rind with the carcoupling hoods, and adapted to. automatically couple and unoouple simultaneously \& ith the coupling and unconplin of the cars. These coupling heads l-1 are uplicates in design and construction and are arranged in rights and lofts so as to properly register in the coupling operation. .llence a descri tion of one of the sufllce for the othon Tho prcscnt invention contemplates an individual pipe coupling heads from the car couplings and to accomplish this, each head 1 I has projoclcd from what nmy be termed the inncr or closed end thereof, a. draw bar section 2 slidaibly mounted in the guiding bore 3 ol a supporting box 4, arranged in a. horizontal position and having a rigid fastening 1 conncction with tho lower .end of a verf t iv ally arranged hanger bracket '6, the upper end of which lflfiif-liei, has a rigid fastenlng connection [with the underside of the draw pipccoupling heads will iinprovclncnl. in the means for hanging the' bar 8 the our coupling hand 9 at theibob rod tom ofwhich head S as .at il), is connected the upper end of an auyiliary hanger chain 1 1 the lower end of which chain is connected, as

I 6 malntains the necessary permanent relanally 'disposed slot 13 receiving a retaining at 12, with the upper side of one of the side members of the pipe coupling head 1. This provides an auxiliary flexible support for the pipe coupling head, While the hanger bracket .pin 14 fitted in the outer end of the box 4, i and between the base of the box 4 and the inner end of the draw bar section 2 is interposed a draft spring 15, which yieldingly proects the pipe couplin head to a proper working position and a so cushions the 1mpact of the coupling action.

A distinctive feature of the invention resides in the specific construction of the individual pi e coupling heads. Each of the latter may e termed'a bifurcated pipe coupling head somewhat in the form of a U- shaped body primarily comprising a pipe shoe 16 constituting one side member of the head and a coupling arm 17 constituting the other side member of the head and lying opposite and in spaced relation to the inside coupling face 18 of the shoe 6. Preferably the coupling arm 17 is of materially less width than the shoe 16 and is located centrally. between the top and bottom edges of the latter, as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Also the arm 17 is preferably formed integrally with the closed inner end bar member 19 of the head, which member however preferably has a separable joint connection with the shoe 16 so that in case of damage to either the shoe or the coupling arm part of the head either of said. parts may be replaced without throwing away the bther. This separable joint connection may be of any practical construction, but may consist of a stout tenon 20 on the end bar 19 snugly registering in a correspondingly 'shaped mortise 21 formed in the inner end of the shoe 16, and at transverse joint bolt 22 coupling together these matching elements.

As above indicated the pipe shoe 16 is rovided at its inner side with. a Wide couping face 18 and at its outer end is formed with a V-shaped guard fork 23 having the upper and lower reverscly inclined. guiding fingers 24 adapted to cooperate with. and take over the inner end bar 19 of the companion shoe, thereby serving to correct the vertical position or elevation of the two shoes according to variations in the height of the couplings on the opposite cars. Also,

emcee outer side or face with a longitudinally disposed keeper groove 25 adapted to receive and retain therein the flat pressure spring 26 arranged, normally, in spaced relation to the coupling-arm 17 at the inner side thereof and secured fast at its outer end as at 26 to said coupling arm at or near the outer end of the latter. When the companion heads are brought into coupled relation, the springs 26 serve the double function of holding the coupling faces 18 in tight registering engage- I ment and also look the companion heads against relative vertical displacement.

In addition to the elements enumerated the pipe shoe 16 of each couplirig head, at a point intermediate the ends of the shoe body is pierced by a vertically arranged series of circulating. ports 27, 28 and 29, designed respectively for the passage tlierethrough of the air for the air brake andv signal pipes and the steam for the steam or heating pi cs. These ports open through the inside coup ing face 18 of the shoe and are surrounded at this point by the rubber or equivalent contact gaskets 30 fitted in suitable seats 31 cored out in the face 18. These gaskets are designed to have a tight registering contact with the corresponding gaskets of the cornpanion shoe so as to maintain a fluid tight joint between the shoes at the points where the several circulating ports are brought into communication. The outer ends of the circulating ports which open through the outer face of the pipe shoe 16 have fitted therein the ni )ple connections 32, 33 and 34 respectively f or the air brake pipe 35 the. signal pipe 36 and the steam ipe 37, but it will of course be understood that the arrangement or' location of these pipes may be varied to suit the train equipment. The several circulating ports27, 28 and 29 of the pipe shoe 16 intersect an upright valve chamber 38 piercing the shoe vertically and accommodating therein a rotary valve plug 39 pierced by a plurality of ports 4-0, 41 and 42 adapted to communicate simultaneously with the several ports 27, 28 and 29, and also the said valve or valve plug 39 cuts off or closes all of said ports at the same time. The up 761 end of the valve plug 39 has rigidly 'itted thereto one end of a swinging valve arm 43 arrested in the closed osition of the valve against a stop 44 on t 1e shoe, andv having a shouldered. engaging end 45 adapted to be engaged by the beveled or is bolted. or otherwise detachably fastened to the upper side of the coupling arm 17 so that the same may be readily replaced when broken. Vi hen the opposing-coupling heads the pipe'shoe 16 is further provided in its i come together the tappets 47 engage the valve arm 43 and thereby automatically establish communication through the opposing shoes 16 by the opening of the valves. When the coupling heads are drawn apart the valves remain open (thereby setting the-brakes in case of accident), until closed by the attendants.

To facilitate and. assist in the coupling operation, the coupling arm 17 of each head is provided at its outer extremity with a beveled guide nose 49 which serves to start the spring 26 into the keeper groove 25.

I-claim 1. In an automatic pipe coupling for cars,

the combination with a car coupling, of a vertically arranged hanger bracket having a rigid connection with the car coupling draw bar and carrying a sup orting box, of a pipe coupling head provider with a slotted draw '3.- bar section slidably fitting in said box, a re- 3 vided wit taining pin fitted to said box and engaging said slotted draw bar section, a draft spring for said draw bar section, and an auxlliary flexible hanger connected with the car coupling head and with the pipe coupling head.

2. In an automatic pipe coupling for cars, a pipe coupling head comprising a bifurcated body having a pipe shoe provided with pipe connections, and a coupling arm lying opposite and in spaced relation to the inside coup ling face of the shoe, said coupling arm carrying at its inner side a pressure s ring.

3. In an automatic pipe coup ing for cars, a pipe coupling head having a pipe shoe rpipe connections, and Wit a keeper groove in its outer side, said head. being further provided with a coupling arm lying opposite the inside face of the shoe and carrying at its inner side pressure spring having a slidably interlocking engagement with the keeper groove of the companion shoe.

4. In an automatic pipe coupling for cars, a pipe coupling head having a pipe shoe provided with. pipe connections, a V-shaped guard fork at its outer end, and a longitudinal keeper groove in its outer side, said head being further provided with a coupling arm lying opposite the shoe and carrying at its inner side a longitudinally disposed oil"- standing pressure spring having a slidable interlocking engagement with the keeper groove of the companion shoe.

5.. In an automatic pipe coupling for cars,

a pipe coupling head having a pipe shoe provided with a series of circulating orts for the various pipes of the train, an a valve chamber intersecting said series of ports, a rotary valve plug mounted in the valve chamber and carrying at its up er end a swinging valve arm, and an 0 standing tappet carried by the coupling head and arranged to engage the valve arm of the companion pipe shoe. In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the resence of two witnesses.

%'M. A. ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

JOHN STOCKBURGER,

J. HOWARD BEBER. 

